TJ Class of '68     UPDATE                                                                01/04/07    
         
Classmates!!!! How time flies.  Another year has come and gone.  I hope that you and yours had a year filled with adventures and, of course, memories. The year 2006 saw us lose TWO of our dear classmates.  We lost Clifford Antone in April and I just found out that we lost Donnie Wade on New Years Eve.  That is 53 known deceased classmates.  Too many, too soon.  Please take my advice and live life to the fullest.  Live each day like it is your last.   Talk to long-lost relatives, friends, neighbors you pass every day.  Why not?  You will see that some of our classmates have done just that!!!   I have received the greatest volume of  MAIL CALL to date for this UPDATE.  These classmates reached out to me just to keep in touch with YOU!  The MAIL CALL section of the UPDATES has definitely been "voted" Most Popular when listening to you.  So, keep up the communication if you want me to continue writing this for the WEBSITE.  Okay, now get your spectacles on because it is going to be a LONG ONE!  Here goes.....
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MAIL CALL
from Casey Arredondo
Girl, it's good to hear from you!!! I'm sending you my home adress.... 6648 Val St., Groves, TX  77619.  It would be good to hear from you... Temporarily, I'm home bound. Fell and busted my hip. My phone is (409) 9620932 and cell is (409)719-2071.  Funny, how this brush with gettin' old has brought back memories of all of you walkin' the halls of school? Plenty to talk about...
(Give Casey a holler if you get a chance.  I bet the days get lonnnggg when you are recuperating).

from Bart Darby
Linda, I did not know you were born May 5th.  I was born May 1 at St. Mary's. I wonder if my Mom was still in the hospital with me when ya'll were born.
(You will need to check out my UPDATE of 12-19-06 to understand this message)
 
from Kenny Bragg
The website looks great.  I really appreciate the work you and Mike have put into this.  Sorry I haven't communicated earlier.  I just went through the proverbial corporate restructuring.  International Paper sold their land base (over 5 million acres) and after 30 years with IP,  I am now working for the new management company - Resource Management Service, LLC - as Region Manager for the Arkansas Region.  Things have worked out well and am actually better off now than before - still in the same location with the same land base, about 300,000 acres, and a much smaller company.  I have certainly enjoyed catching up on where everyone is located.  I was looking through all of the addresses and it looks like I'm the only one who landed in Arkansas.  We do like the small town life and are well settled here.  Our son Aaron - not married - just moved to Little Rock from Dallas.  Our daughter Melissa - not married - is still in Dallas.    My brother, Bart Bragg,  is still in PA so maybe we will be down sometime this summer.  Take care and thanks again for all the hard work on the updates.
(I just love this guy.  He still has that shy little smile. Tell Smokey the Bear "hi" for me, Kenny).
 
from Stephen Simonton
The only time I ever see you is at Market Basket in Bridge City about every 5 years. Ha Ha. Gene Baskin thought I should drop you a line since your keeping up with all us old folks.
(Thank you, Gene, for hooking up Stephen with my e-mail address)
 
from Glenda Patin
I just loved what you wrote about those of you born within days of each other at St. Mary's Hospital during the first week of May, 1950.  It made me curious as to who from our class (besides me) was born on or about September 29, 1950, at St. Mary's Hospital. 
(Well, do we have any late September early October birthdays that year?)
 
from Jude Arisco
 It's been a crazy fall for Cindy and I, but all is well.  We are on our way to see Cindy's mom and two sisters in Kansas City, Mo. for the Christmas holiday, then afterwards move in to our "fishing shack" on the coast during New Years.  Many blessings to both of you...good health..much prosperity..and keep safe.   Thanks, also, Linda for all the hard work you have put in on the web site...you have "mothered" us from our high school days right up to the present and I want to say THANK YOU very much. 
(Jude is still hysterical to be around.  After listening to him and his cousin, Paul Colletti tell high school stories....hmmm.  I sure was naive.) 
 
from Gary Barbin
I read all your emails and thanks for keeping me in the loop.  I'm the quiet, silent, observer so I rarely reply, but I finally visited the TJ website and was blown away.  It is an incredible tribute to you and Mike to have such a rich, informative, and hi tech place to visit that rekindles the good (and bad) memories of the place that morphed each of us.  I feel reconnected again and will visit the site regularly.  You and Murphy are our only connection to PA now that my parents have moved to Waco, and Jody and I will get back to PA in the new year to visit.
(I really look up to this guy!  He was smart enough to marry my best friend from high school who also served as my matron of honor!!)
 
from Glenn McGee
I really enjoyed the updates/photos. I have some group photo of DeQueen Elementary I need to send you. In the GROUP PHOTOS on the website, page 3, Robert E. Lee 6th Grade photo; the boy on the third row, third boy is Danny Phares.
(Good eye, Sherlock.  Now, if we could get Danny to send us his e-mail address.  I have mailed him a card, but didn't get a response.  Classmates, any help here?)
 
from Pat Trahan Knox
Happy New Year to everyone! My husband and I celebrated 33 wonderful years of marriage on December 29. We feel very blessed and are hoping for many, many more. The last two years have been trying...we lost my dad in December of 2004; we lost Ray's mother in August of 2005; then, Hurrican Rita hit; I had sinus surgery in October of 2005; and we lost my mother in February of 2006. One very bright spot, however, was my youngest son getting married on December 10, 2005. We gained a precious daughter-in-law and my mother was able to attend the wedding she had so looked forward to. We couldn't have chosen a better daughter if we had tried.  We feel so lucky that we had our wonderful parents as long as we did. It's been very hard for me, as my mother was indeed my best friend, outside of my husband. She was the most selfless person I've ever known. She was everything I aspire to be. Both of my sons are really good men, if I do say so myself. I am wishing each of you the best of new year. I count my blessings every day, and each of you are part of them. I'm already looking forward to our 2008 reunion. Again, I want to thank everyone who keeps our website going so we can hear about all of our classmates. I love hearing about all of you.  
(I appreciate all the "news" you send.  It is always fun to hear from you.)
 
from Ronnie Campbell 
Hello Linda:  Just wanted to tell you what a great website you and Mike Lawson have created for our 1968 TJ graduating class.  Thanks for all your efforts.  I greatly enjoyed seeing old classmates (well, not really that OLD!)  If you would like, you can put my web address with the others   MySpace website is http://myspace.com/117142405 if you would care to check it out.
I have lived here in Port Arthur all my life.  I retired from Huntsman this December, and so far, I have enjoyed "chillin-out".  I worked with Bill Richey in Human Resources.  Hope you had a great holiday season - and will look forward to attending our 40-year reunion. 
(Retirement!!!  I bet lots of your fellow classmates are jealous!)
 
from Florence "Sissie" Woods 
Just wanted to let you know that Ken (my husband) passed away a few weeks ago.  We are still not sure of the cause of death at this time, but from all indications it was a massive heart attack.  Ken was at our last reunion and loved it and was looking forward to going to the next one.  He passed away on our Anniversary.  Keep me in your prayers.  It's a very tough time of year to lose someone. 
 In memory of:
Ken Kilcrease
November 20, 2006  
(We will pray for you and your sad times during your mourning, sweet friend.)
 
from David Williams
Things are hectic with two teenage daughters, 17 and 15, but would not have it any other way.  Maybe I'll write an update between Christmas and New Years.
(While editing David's message, I left out some really sweet words that meant a lot to me.  David and I have stayed in touch since meeting in high school.  He is a very special friend.)
 
from Jane Lippincott Koerth
All of us are so lucky to have you and Mike willing to spend countless hours trying to keep everyone informed of what’s new, what’s old, and what’s coming!! 
(Mike and I are the lucky ones to have classmates that stay in touch as much as you do.  Thanks for all the kind words.)
 
from Gayle Snider Davis
I was pleased to get your postcard and learn there is a website for our class-very impressive.  It was fun to check it out.  I am headed out at the crack of dawn tomorrow to fly to Texas to visit with my family.  My folks moved to Marble Falls (near Austin) a number of years ago, so I don't make it to Port Arthur anymore.  I do talk with and see Lynn Eldridge Gill every once in a while, and she tries to keep me up on news from the Port Arthur crew. 
(Welcome to our mailing list.  We love getting new members to share our news.)
 
from Raymond Belz
Happy New Year!!!  I wanted to be sure to send you my change of e-mail address.  Thank you both for all you do for the class of '68.
(I loved the photo you sent in of you and your lovely wife. Thanks also for the e-mail change.  That is how you stay in the loop).
 
from West Nielsen
 I like what you've done with the web site - I do peruse it from time to time and always enjoy receiving your updates. It's interesting to read of where and what others from our TJ class are and what they're doing. Please keep up the good work. 
 How are we doing ? - well,  muddling through life like everyone else I guess. This past summer we (wife,2 kids, & I) drove out to Las Vegas, saw the sights along the way and then drove back home to Fairfax, Virginia - photos I sent show a few highlights from the trip. The girls, Kasha & Nina are 12 and 8, take ballet, are doing well in school and are a general delight. Beata's family is in Krakow, Poland so we go visit them about every other year.
(Your vacation pics are terrific.  Thanks for sharing.  Don't forget to get David Aucoin's e-mail address for me.)
 
from Janette Light Norton
We were in PA just for 24 hours to visit Richard's mom and sister.  Perhaps I'll be back again this summer if we can convince Richard's mom to have the knee replacement she so badly needs.  My mother has been back again in the hospital, but I think the stent place in an arterial artery will take care of many of the problems.
I need your address so that I can send you some website money.  I was the first to offer, but the slowest to respond.  Your contribution of time and love to our class has been the greatest healer that any of us could hope for.  I've heard and read a lot about the second childhood that seniors go through, but I never expected it to be in the form of a web page.
Just before Thanksgiving, I was able to meet Carol Bonin for lunch in Lubbock.  She is completing her Masters degree and was in to finalize some coursework.  Thanks, also, for the picture of Linda King.   I love that girl--in fact, some of the people I have the fondest memories of have last names that start with K, L, and M---Remember how we were always placed in alphabetical order?   Sitting together in junior high and high school for more than a few classes a day create lifetime memories.  We definitely weren't just taking notes from the teacher.  If you were fortunate to have homeroom together, you really had time to share a few laughs and talk about really important things, like boys or the football games or BOYS!!  Anyway, I hope that maybe Linda King and I can get together sometime.  Unless she has moved, I think she is living in my part of Texas. (Sorry, but Linda has moved to Montgomery).
Thanks to everyone who has sent in new pictures.  I'm still hoping someone has pictures of our 4th grade Olympics at Sam Houston Elementary.  I moved to PA too late for the train ride and circus, so that is one of the biggest memories I have. 
Happy New Year to you and everyone!
(You have to just be around Janette in person to really see how bubbly she really is.   She is such a DOWNER in her messages!!!  NOT!)
 
from Nancy Decker Primeaux   
We wish you a wonderful New Year filled with all good things.
(How was your first WEST TEXAS Christmas?  Did you decorate a cactus?)
 
Remember I told you at the top of my UPDATE to contact friends?  Well, Linda Hopper Hunt called me today out of the blue "JUST BECAUSE" she decided not to wait any longer.  She said that she thinks of me and our fun times (especially Woodrow Wilson when she was my "second best friend....after Charlotte Pace"). What a great (too short) conversation we had.  Linda H hasn't been on my mailing list because she didn't have a computer.  Now she does and we will get her SIGNED up as soon as she sends me her e-mail address. She works at the Ramada Inn in Port Arthur on Hwy 73 as the EVENTS COORDINATOR.  Hmmm.  Our 40th Reunion will be coming up in 2008.  Welcome, Linda H.  Glad to have you join us.  
 
Tillman Richey and I visited at the Christmas Tree sale benefitting  the Orangefield FFA. He sells trees there every year.   We had an uninterrupted visit for about an hour.  We caught up on news of the family and rehashed memories. I saw  his "younger" twin brother, Bill, who looked dapper in a tuxedo at his son, Chris' beautiful holiday wedding in December.  Danny Landry was working the Margarita machine for the reception.  He rents it out and mans it.  Sorry Danny, but I can't put my hand on your business card to give you a plug at the moment. 
 
With Gary Barbin's help, I have Jane Elliott Perry's website at work.  Check it out.  I have added her home e-mail address in the CLASS LISTING.
 
I also heard from Carole Oubre, Loretta LaLonde, Jack Etheredge, Ernie Casteneda, Billy Fowler, Linda Blakley, Robert Sandoval, Laura Meece, Debbie Borres, Danny Landry, Fred McCarty,  Barry Boudreaux, and Lizbeth Branick.
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CLASSMATE MAKES THE 6:00 NEWS
 
I hope that you will all enjoy this article about Hal Ross.  Hal has done a wonderful job as MANAGER of the Southeast Texas Regional Airport (formerly known as Jefferson County Airport in Nederland).  Hal hasn't just sat on his duff.  He is a CPA and an attorney and uses his expertise to run the airport.  Good job, Hal. 
Hal Ross Has The Support To Remain Airport Manager

It appears the manager of the Southeast Texas Regional Airport will keep his job when County Judge-elect Ron Walker takes office next month.
Walker has told KFDM that he wants a new manager, but will support Commissioner Mark Domingue's choice for the job because Domingue is the commissioners' liason to the airport and the airport is in his precinct.
All of the commissioners, except for Bo Alfred have now said they intend to support Hal Ross.
Alfred told us he's yet to make a decision.
Jefferson County pays Ross $91,036 for the combined duties of probate attorney and airport manager.
He'll be paid that until the end of this month.
But once the new year starts, he won't get a salary for doing probate.
He's paid $48,567 for his airport duties.
Based on a salary survey of airports close in size to Jefferson County's, Commissioner Domingue is recommending that as of January 1st, 2007, Ross should make $82,000 as full-time airport manager.
Domingue says depending on a satisfactory job performance, the annual salary might be raised to $85,000 in January 2008.
This is the list Domingue reviewed:

Airport Manager Salaries:

Killeen $81,576
Laredo $100,900
Tyler $69,075
Waco $81,403
College Station $88,000
Abilene $91,757
Fort Smith, Ark. $87,500
Lake Charles, La. $108,000
Lafayette, La. $91,460

Commissioner Domingue says leaving out the two high airports, Laredo and Lake Charles, the average is $84,395.
Domingue tells KFDM the Southeast Texas Regional Airport has 25 employees and an operating budget of $3.5 million.
In a letter sent to commissioners Monday, Domingue wrote:

"The airport is entering a critical stage of reconfiguration and reconstruction that will involve more than $8 million and will impact both commercial and general aviation for years. Since Hurricane Rita, Mr. Ross has been immersed in all aspects of airport reconstruction, funding, and strategic planning. The fact that he is a certified public accountant and a licensed attorney is certainly an added benefit during this critical period. I therefore am comfortable in recommending to the Commissioners' Court that Hal Ross be appointed as full-time airport manager as of January 1, 2007."

Ross told KFDM, "This is probably the most exciting job I can recall having in quite some time."
Ross' immediate priority is the renovation of the main terminal.
The terminal is 41,000 square feet, and Ross believes that much terminal space is not needed for an airport that only sees about 130 passengers a day.
Ross has recommended to commissioners that 24,000 square feet be set aside for airline business, and the rest of the terminal be leased for other ventures.
Ross says, "That frees up 17,000 square feet that we can use for retail, office space, or banquet facilities for something to support a hotel."
Commissioners approved the design plan Monday afternoon, and the county will be requesting construction bids by July 6th, 2007.
The $8.2 million price tag, which also includes a new roof for the terminal that's already been completed, will be covered by a federal grant for Hurricane Rita.
Commissioner Domingue says, "Rita has provided us with a great opportunity by converting obsolete assets into cash that we can now re-invest wisely."
Cuts in operating expenses and jet fuel fee increases have reduced the airport's dependency on taxpayers by more than $600,000 during the past three years.
Ross tells KFDM,"The airport needs to be profitable, and I think it can be."
Ross remains committed to bringing more commercial air service to the county.
He says that will benefit not just Jefferson County, but the entire region.

angels@kfdm.com
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Barry Boudreaux
(loss of his dad, Theodore Roosevelt Boudreaux, on Jan. 2, 2007)
3319 Highland Laurels
Kingwood, TX 77345
(281)361-5540
Visitation from 4-9pm at Grammier Oberle on Friday, January 5, 2007
Rosary at 7pm (Fri)
Funeral at 10am Saturday, January 6, 2007 at the funeral home
 
Please support these classmates with your comforting presence, words, and prayers.
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WEBSITE CONTRIBUTIONS

 

         
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